Sparking igniter for explosive-engines.



No. 728,950. PATENTED MAY 26, 1903. A. G. MATHER.

SPARKING IGNITER FOR EXPLOSIVE ENGINES. APPLIOATION FILED SEPT. 26. 1900.

R0 MODEL.

NITE STATES Patented May 26, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

ALONZO O. MATHER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

SPARKING IGNITER FOR EXPLOSlVE-ENGINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 728,950, dated May 26, 1903. Application filed $eptemher 26. 1900. Serial No. 31,190. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALONZO O. MATHER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Sparking Igniters for Explosive-Engines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to sparking or iginiting mechanism for explosion -engines, the object of the same being to provide novel means for automatically advancing or making earlier the time of the ignition relative to the piston as the speed of the engine increases.

A further object of the invention is to provide novel means for the actuation of the movable electrode through which the spark is produced.

Other objects of the invention will hereinafter appear.

The invention consists of the features and details of construction and combinations of parts which will be hereinafter more fully,

described and claimed.

In the drawings forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a cross-section of an explosion-engine, showing the application of with the opposite poles of an electric battery or generator and adapted to be moved into and out of contact with each other for the purpose of producing a spark, and thereby igniting and exploding the gas or vapor in the chamber 2 behind the piston. The stem of the movable electrode 4 is made in two parts, the lower part, 5, ofwhich is provided with a barrel or drum 6 upon its upper end hav ing elongated slots 7 011 opposite sides thereof adjacent to its lower end. The other part, 8, of said stem extends down into the barrel 6 and has a laterally-projecting pin 9 therein, which fits and moves within the slots 7. Between the pin 9 and the upper end of the barrel 6 a coil-spring 10 is interposed, said spring surrounding the part 8 of the stem of the electrode 4 and serving to hold the pin 9 at the'lirnit of its downward movement in the slots 7. A spring 11 connects the barrel 6 with a stationary part of the framework and serves to maintain said barrel and the electrode 4 connected therewith in their lowermost positions. To the upper end of the part8 of the stem of the electrode 4 is pivoted a laterally-extending arm 12. The said arm is pivoted in a fork or yoke in the part 8 and is normally maintained in a substantially horizontal position by means of a spring 13, which is connected at its upper end to an eye 14 on said arm and atits lower end to the stem of the movable electrode. By reason of the inclined or curved bottom wall 15 of the space between the members of said fork, which constitutes a shoulder against which the arm 12 bears, the free end of the arm 12 is adapted to be depressed against the action of the spring 13. Mounted'in hearings in brackets 16 16, secured to stationary parts of the engine, is a shaft 17, driven through a sprocket-wheel 18 thereon, a sprocket-chain 19, and a sprocket- 'wheel 20 from a shaft 21, driven directly from the engine. On one end of the shaft 17, opposite the arm 12 on the upper end of the stem of the movable electrode 4, is a longitudinally-movable sleeve 22, the said sleeve being turned by and with said shaft 17. On the outer surface of this sleeve 2 are teeth or projections 23 24 26, projecting outwardly therefrom and arranged in different parallel cross-sectional planes through said sleeve. According to the position of the sleeve 22 on the shaft 17 one or the other of the teeth 23 24 25 26 will during the rotation of the shaft 17 engage the under side of the arm 12 and lift the movable electrode 4.until the same is brought into contact with the fixed electrode 3. When the tooth which is in engagement with the arm 12 passes beyond said arm, the spring 11 acts to returnithe movable electrode 4 to its normal lowermost position, which action causes a separation of the two electrodes, thereby creating a spark the best results from the explosion.

which serves to ignite the explosive charge for the engine. Now the position of the sleeve 22 on the shaft-17 is controlled by the speed of the engine through a governor made up of the metallic straps 27 28 and the weights 29. The adjacent ends of the straps 27 28 are connected directly to the weights 29, whereas the opposite ends of said straps are connected, respectively, to the shaft 17 and to the sleeve 22. As the shaft 17 rotates the weights 29 are thrown outwardly by centrifugal force, with the result that the sleeve 22 is moved inwardly or to the right, the extent of this inward movement being dependent upon the speed of said shaft. As the shaft 17 is driven through the gearing described from the engine, if the speed of the engine increases the speed of rotation of the shaft 17 likewise increases. 1

As the speed of the engine increases the time required for one complete stroke of the piston decreases, the frequency of the sparking increases, and consequently the time between the successive sparkings decreases. After the sparkingan appreciabletime elapses before the actual explosion of the gas or vapor takes place. Now as the actual time for a complete stroke of the engine-piston decreases as the speed of the engine increases it is necessary that the relative time of ignition be made earlier in order to obtain If this were not done, the explosion would take place too late in the stroke of the piston to obtain the greatest benefit therefrom, and, in fact, might take place after the piston had started on its return or back stroke. By my invention as the speed of the engine increases the relative time of ignition of the charge is made earlier with respect to the other operations of the engine. When the engine is first started or when it is running at low speed, the sleeve 22 is in such position on the shaft 17 that the arm 12 will lie within the path of movement of the tooth 23. Once during each rotation of the shaft 17, therefore, the tooth 23 will engage the under side of the arm 12, thereby lifting the movable electrode 4 until it is brought in contact with the fixed electrode 3, when the circuit from the battery will be closed through said electrodes. As soon as the tooth 23 passes beyond the arm 12, however, the spring 11 will move the electrode 4 downwardly, separating it from the fixed electrode 3 and creating a spark which ignites the explosive charge. As the speed of the engine increases the speed of rotation of the shaft 17 likewise increases, and the weights 29 are thrown outwardly by centrifugal force, as will be readily understood. This operation causes the longitudinal movement of the sleeve 22 on the shaft 17 until the tooth 24 on said sleeve is brought to a point opposite the arm 12. This tooth 24 now acts on said arm 12 to cause the actuation of the igniting mechanism once during each rotation of the shaft 17; but as the tooth 24 is located on the sleeve 22 at a point in advance of the tooth 23 the relative time of actuation of the igniting mechanism with respect to the movement of the piston and the other parts of the engine will be made earlier. As the speed of the engine increases still further the tooth 25 will be brought into operative relation to the arm 12, thereby making the relative time of actuation of the igniting mechanism still earlier, and upon a greater increase in the speed of the engine the tooth 26 will be brought into operative relation with the arm 12, making the relative time of actuation of the igniting mechanism still earlier. It will thus be seen that by my invention provision is made for the automatic ignition of the explosive charge at the proper time, no matter What the speed of the engine may be.

In the event of any backward or reverse movement of the shaft 17 one of the teeth of the sleeve 22 would engage the upper side of the free end of the arm 12. This would tend to break said arm or the tooth which was brought in engagement with it were no provision made to prevent it. By pivoting said arm to the upper end-of the section 8 of the stem of the movable electrode the free end of the arm 12 is adapted to be rocked downwardly against the tension of the spring 13. In the event, therefore, of backward or reverse movement of the shaft 17 no trouble can be caused by the teeth on the sleeve 22 striking against the arm 12.

The spring 10, through which the two parts 5 and 8 of the stem of the movable electrode are-connected together, serves to prevent jamming and consequent abrasion or breaking of one of the electrodes in the event that the movable electrode is moved upwardly with too great force-that is, when one of the teeth on the sleeve 22 acts upon the arm 12 on the part 8 and raises the latter this movement is transmitted to the lower part 5 of the stem of the movable electrode 4 through the spring 10. These two parts move together until the movable electrode 4 is brought in contact with the fixed electrode 3, when any further upward movement of the part 8 may be effected independently of the part 5 by the sliding of the pin 9 in the slots 7. A close contact is thereby obtained between the stationary and fixed electrodes without danger of breaking either one.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination with an explosion-engine and a shaft operated thereby, of a pair of electrodes in the explosion-chamber of said engine,one of which is longitudinally movable and has a fork or yoke at the upper end of its stem provided with an inclined wall between the branches thereof, forming a shoulder, an arm pivoted to and between the branches of said fork and adapted to engage said shoulder for limiting its pivotal movement in one IIO direction,a spring connected to one end of said arm and to said movable electrode for resisting the pivotal movement of said arm in the opposite direction, and a projection on said shaft adapt-ed to engage said arm for actuating the movable electrode when movingin one direction, and to move said arm on its pivot and ride over the same when. moving in the opposite direction, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination with an explosion-en'- gine and a shaft operated thereby, of a pair of electrodes in the explosion-chamber of said engine, one of which is movable and has its stem made in two parts, a spring connection between the two parts of the stem of said movable electrode, a laterally-extending pivotally-mounted arm on one of said parts, and a projection on said shaft adapted to engage said arm for actuating said movable electrode when moving in one direction, and ride over said arm when moving in the opposite direction, as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination with an explosion-engine and a shaft operated thereby, of a pair of electrodes in the explosion-chamber of said engine, one of which is movable and has its stem made in two parts, a barrel upon the end of the lower of said parts receiving the upper of said parts and provided with slots in the sides thereof, a pin extending through the upper of said parts and lying within said slots, a spring surrounding the upper of said parts and engaging said pin and one of the heads of said barrel,a laterally-extendingarm on the upper of said parts, and a projection on said shaft adapted to engage said arm for actuating the movable electrode, as and for the purpose set forth.

4. The combination with an explosion-engine and a shaft rotated thereby, of a sparking device for said engine, including two normally separated, electrodes, one of which is movable, a longitudinally-movable sleeve on said shaft having a plurality of teeth or projections thereon, located in different planes and on dilferent radial lines, and adapted to engage the movable electrode for moving the same into contact with the other electrode, a spring for separating said movable electrode from the other electrode when the teeth on said sleeve pass out of engagement with said movable electrode, and means, controlled by an increase in the speed of the engine, for moving said sleeve longitudinally on said shaft, to cause its engagement with said movable electrode along the different planes in which said teeth or projections are located,

and thereby make earlier the relative time for actuating said sparking device.

5. The combination with an explosion-engine and a shaft rotated thereby, of a sparking device for said engine, including two normally separated electrodes, one of which is movable and has a lateral projection thereon adapted to engage the other electrode, a longitudinally-movable sleeve on said shaft having a plurality of teeth thereon, located in different planes and on different radial lines, alaterally-projectin-g arm on the movable electrode adapted .to be engaged by said teeth for moving the movable electrode into contactwith the other electrode, a spring for moving said movable electrode away from said sleeve and thereby separating it from the other electrode when the teeth on said sleeve pass out of engagement with said arm, and means, controlled by an increase in the speed of the engine, for moving said sleeve longitudinally on said shaft, to cause its engagement with said arm along the different planes in which said teeth are located, and thereby make earlier the relative time for actuating said sparking device.

6. The combination with an explosion-engine and a shaft rotated thereby, of asparking device for said engine, including two normally separated electrodes, one of which is movable, a longitudinally-movable sleeve on said shaft having a plurality of teeth or projections thereon, located in different planes and on different radial lines, an arm on the movable electrode adapted to be engaged by said teeth or projections for moving the movable electrode into contact with the other electrode, a spring for separating said movable electrode from the other electrode when the teeth on said sleeve pass out of engagement with said arm, and means controlled by an increase in the speed of the engine for moving said sleeve longitudinally on said shaft to cause its engagement with said arm along the different planes in which said teeth or projections are located, and thereby make earlier the relative time for actuating said sparking device, the said means comprising straps connected respectively to said shaft and to said sleeve, and balls or weights connected to the adjacent ends of said straps.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALONZO C. MATHER.

Witnesses:

M. J. MATHER, E. M. CLINTON. 

